Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to weightlifting rack systems, in particular, weightlifting rack systems having slidable rail supports.
Background and Description of the Related Art
Sliding weightlifting rack supports are typically in a fixed angular orientation.
The population has become more aware of the health benefits of exercise and personal fitness. People make going to the gym, fitness club or having a home gym an element of their physical fitness and supplement this physical fitness with lifting weights. A concern regarding the practice of weight lifting has been having a spotter present during the lifting. A user could potentially injure himself or herself by lifting too much weight or accidentally dropping weight on a body part. The spotter's purpose is to help the user finish lifting the weight after the user has become fatigued, or remove the weight should the user not be able to complete the exercise repetition. Many people, however, do not always have spotters available.
To address this issue, Smith machines have been introduced as a way for a user, without a spotter, to lift weights with the added safety of being able to rack the weights at any time during the exercise and to reduce the risk of losing one's balance during the exercise, which can be more difficult when using a free weight barbell (also referred to herein as a bar). The typical Smith machine has a frame with a pair of stationary guide rails. A barbell is attached to these guide rails so that a user can lift the barbell in a vertical up and down motion. Exercises that can be performed on these Smith machines include chest press, shoulder press, leg squats, cleans, bicep curls and triceps extensions.
A major restriction of the Smith machine that guide rails or tracks of the Smith machine are typically in a fixed position and/or angular orientation. Traditional Smith machines require the user to lift the weight in a fixed, vertical up and down orientation. This inhibits the user from lifting the barbell in a full range of motion that can otherwise be accomplished with a barbell, in which the barbell is unrestricted in terms of movement directions. The horizontal freedom of movement associated with a barbell allows for a more natural lifting motion. The horizontal movement limitation of traditional Smith machines can also result on excessive shoulder joint strain during exercise. As such, there is a need for a weightlifting system that provides the user the ability to lift weights in a wider range of motion than with traditional Smith machines with the incorporation of safety of guide rails and ability to rack the weights when the user cannot support the weight himself or herself, for additional safety to the user.